Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present application relate to the art of a vehicle control system configured to operate a vehicle autonomously.
Discussion of the Related Art
US 2014/288743 A1 describes a hybrid vehicle having an engine and a motor. An operating mode of the hybrid vehicle taught by US 2014/288743 A1 is switched between a hybrid mode in which the vehicle is powered at least by an engine, and an electric vehicle mode in which the vehicle is powered by the motor. According to the teachings of US 2014/288743 A1, in a travel route to a destination, a section where a traveling load is lower than a predetermined load is set as an electric traveling priority section, and a section where a traveling load is higher than the predetermined load is set as a hybrid traveling priority section. In the travel route, the first the hybrid traveling priority section is set as a warm-up section for warming up a purification device. If the traveling load in the warm-up section is higher than the predetermined load, any of the electric traveling priority sections before the warm-up section is reset to the hybrid traveling priority section to warm up the purification device.
A conventional automobile having an engine is provided with a catalytic converter that converts toxic gases in exhaust gas to reduce oxides of nitrogen (NOx) or a purification system having a particulate filter for trapping particulate matter in exhaust gas. In the catalytic converter, sulfur oxide (SOx) contained in exhaust gas may accumulate on noble metal during operation of the engine. Consequently, a reactive area of the catalytic converter will be reduced gradually with the progress of such sulfur poisoning thereby reducing catalytic activity. On the other hand, the particulate filter may be clogged as a result of trapping the particulate matter during operation of the engine. Consequently, an engine output will be reduced and the particulate matter is emitted.
In order to remove Sox accumulating on the catalytic converter or remove the particulate matter from the filter, according to the conventional art, an operating condition of the engine is changed to alter the engine output, or unburnt fuel is supplied to an exhaust pipe to raise a temperature of the catalytic converter or the filter. However, vibrations and noises may be generated by changing an operating condition of the engine.